NCTAF Announces New Campaign

Just as the “Agricultural Era” and the “Industrial Age” were known for their dominant modes of work, the 21st Century is the Learning Age. Learning is no longer prepararion for the job, it is the job.

We are all constructing this new learning culture, in which we invent and reinvent work, create and recreate communities, master emerging technologies, and develop new knowledge and skills. Learning and innovation are central throughout our lives.

Yet most schools do not embrace these realities. And simply fixing the schools we already have won’t prepare Learning Age students for successful participation in college, work, and communities. Meeting Learning Age challenges means transforming schools from teaching organizations into learning organizations. It is time to build a 21st Century education system.

We can remake American education by harnessing four Learning Age forces: A 21st Century concept of competency that combines core knowledge with creativity, communication skills and cultural awareness increases the engagement of all learners in order to improve their achievement and life skills; an open learning economy in which schools are no longer the sole providers of education increases the array of educational resources and improves their delivery; smart networking that encourages transparent and responsive sharing of information builds capacity for grassroots innovation and increased accountability; and finally, dramatic shifts in the demographics and expectations of the workforce provide an opportunity to create a more flexible and collaborative school staffing model.

NCTAF’s digital white paper will use the power of smart networking to draw on and give voice to all those who care about education—state and local policy makers, teachers, parents, students, business and government leaders. We invite YOU to join the NCTAF Learning Team by contributing data, stories, videos, and comments. We will introduce new topics regularly, and will consistently update the white paper with the demographic data, trends, promising new ideas, programs, and policies you share with us. We welcome your contributions!

For more, please visit: http://www.learningteams.org/